Home of Ashfield District Council candidate targeted by racists

Annesley home of politician Don Davis, which was daubed with a swastika and BNP graffiti.

Published:08:35Thursday 05 May 2011

RACIST graffiti has been daubed on the home of an Annesley political candidate who is campaigning for a seat on Ashfield District Council.

Don Davis, of Derby Road, said he was horrified after discovering a Nazi swastika had been scrawled on his garden fence sometime between the evening of Thursday 21st April and the following morning.

Someone had also sprayed ‘BNP’ - believed to refer to far right political party, the British National Party.

The Labour Party member said prior to the incident, thugs had damaged campaign signs he had fixed to the fence.

“I did not really know what to make of the vandalism but this disgusting graffiti was something else completely - I was horrified.

“The incident has caused a lot of stress and worry in the family and I have made the decision not to put the signs back up. But then you wonder has what these thugs have done prevented me from having my right to express my political opinion?”

Mr Davis said his car had also been damaged by key scratches while he was out canvassing for support.

But he would not let the incidents put him off standing for the role of Ashfield District Councillor for the Woodhouse ward in tomorrow’s local election.

“It makes me more determined to win and work to make sure things like this do not happen. People do not want to see this sort of thing going on around here,” he said.

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police confirmed they were investigating reports of vandalism and treating the incident as a hate crime. Anyone with information should ring them on 0300 3009999.